East County Observer 1.29.26

EAST COUNTY

Set your watch to Toddler Story Time

Lakewood Ranch 3-year-old Amaia Ould speaks Spanish and French at home. To be more immersed in the English language, she has attended Toddler Story Time, a weekly event at the Lakewood Ranch Library, for the last four weeks.

On Jan. 21, she listened as Katie Whitaker (above), the youth planning coordinator, read a story.

During story time, children not only listen to stories, but they participate in a wide range of activities that include music, dancing and crafts.

Amaia’s mother, Valeria Ould, said Amaia has found a passion for books and social interaction through the program, since she doesn’t attend a day care.

“If they (other parents) want their kids to be interested in books and create a community with parents and other kids to play with, they should definitely come,” Ould said.

Taxing district considered to solve UTC’s flooding

a recognition banquet held Jan. 23 at the Bradenton Area Convention Center. At the five-year mark, employees start being recognized, but 10 employees were honored for hitting the 35-year mark. Commissioner and Palm Aire resident Mike Rahn (pictured above), along with county administrators and his fellow commissioners, donned rubber gloves and aprons to say thank you. They served dinner, as the staff took a well-deserved break.

Manatee County tees up for Senior PGA Championship

Championship dollars are expected to include impressive dividends for the county.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Manatee County is less than 100 days away from hosting its first Senior PGA Championship, which will be held at The Concession Golf Club on April 16-19.

The county committed $4.5 million from its tourism tax revenue to bring the event to East County over the next three years — $1.5 million per year. Sarasota County matched that investment.

“I can take my whole budget (his marketing budget is about $6.2 million) for a year and not be able to afford what the PGA of America is bringing us,” said Elliott Falcione, director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The tournament will be broadcast by NBC and the Golf Channel, reaching about 800,000 households globally.

Falcione said he normally couldn’t get access to many of those markets, but what makes hosting the Senior PGA Championship even more valuable to Manatee County is that its demographics align with the county’s target market.

Falcione said he’s not going to cut a deal on an event that attracts a Gen Z market because the demographics don’t align with the characteristics of the county, but an event like the Senior PGA Championship is a perfect fit.

With the caveat of “we don’t know what we don’t know,” Falcione estimates that the championship will bring considerable “direct dollar infusion” into Manatee County by way of restaurant visits and hotel stays. He said he didn’t want to talk numbers because a Senior PGA Championship hasn’t been held in Florida since 2000.

The indirect stimulus will come

IF YOU GO

Senior PGA Championship at The Concession Golf Club, 7700 Lindrick Lane. April 16-19. Visit SrPGAChampionship.com.

Tickets are available to purchase on SeatGeek.com or SrPGAChampionship.com/2026, but there’s more than one way to get access to the championship.

Adults 23 and older can volunteer for the event. The cost is $150, but volunteers receive a uniform that includes a Nike shirt, jacket and hat, along with an official PGA drawstring bag, meal and water vouchers, free parking and event access even when not volunteering. There is no charge for junior volunteers, ages 14 to 22.

Military members, active or retired, plus one guest can receive free grounds access for each day of the championship. Show a military ID at the box office to receive the complimentary passes; they are not available online.

from the event attendees and television viewers who want to visit Manatee County again or for the first time after watching the championship.

Falcione said research shows that 74% of the time, attendees and viewers of sporting events will visit that same area within the next 12 months.

Tickets for the championship are on sale on SeatGeek.com or at SrPGAChampionship.com/2026.

This year’s event will mark the 86th Senior PGA Championship.

Manatee County commissioners cleared the way for the event in May 2025 by releasing a 3-acre conservation easement so The Concession could meet the PGA’s criteria for hosting an event of this caliber.

The club was lacking the space to provide a proper entrance, which partly acts as a bus terminal because

guests will be shuttled to the site.

But beyond functionality, Championship Director Eric Nuxol said there needed to be a “championship feel” that makes people say “Wow” when stepping off the shuttle.

Organizers also needed the space for merchandise tents, the box office, entry gates, a volunteer headquarters and a media center.

The golf course had to be tweaked, as well.

Nuxol noted that the natural beauty of The Concession is what makes it such a standout course, but as palmettos and other vegetation have grown in over the years, there were some pinch points along the pathways that needed to be widened to get the spectators and carts through more easily.

“To the naked eye, most people won’t be able to tell,” Nuxol said. “It’s just given us a little more of a buffer.”

Saturday, which is typically the biggest day of the event, could attract up to 5,000 people.

The main parking will be set up at the Premier Sports Campus, but negotiations are ongoing with some other landowners in the area in case there’s a need for overflow parking.

Much of the $4.5 million invest-

ment from Manatee County will go straight back into Manatee County and its businesses over the next three years.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is just one example. Sheriff’s deputies will be paid to ensure public safety. Most of the deputies will be stationed outside the event, controlling vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

But public safety at high-profile events also requires bomb sweeps with the K-9 unit and assigning deputies to walk the course with the bigger name golfers.

EMTs will also be on-site.

Regular operational meetings are taking place between county and PGA staff to keep everything running smoothly.

Falcione noted that part of growth is the need for experience, and the county’s ultimate goal is to host the PGA Championship or the Ryder Cup.

Having a three-year commitment makes that goal achievable because now the “Eric (Nuxols) of the world” know Manatee County understands what it takes from a public safety standpoint to host a major championship.

“To have that experience is powerful,” Falcione said.

Proposed bill would turn UTC into a taxing district

House Bill 4091 would generate funds that could be used to build infrastructure to control flooding.

LESLEY DWYER | STAFF WRITER

When a hurricane is threatening Manatee County with heavy rains that will likely lead to flooding, county officials often decide to lower water levels in Lake Manatee.

The lake at Nathan Benderson Park might function the same way in the future, but such an endeavor, such as building an operable valve system to lower lake elevations, requires a funding source.

House Bill 4091 proposes that 1,514.6 acres spanning from Fruitville Road in Sarasota County north to University Park in Manatee County be established as an independent special taxing district known as the University Town Center Improvement District.

If the bill is passed, Todd Mathes, director of real estate development at Benderson Development, said the district would provide a revenue source to maintain the area’s infrastructure and prevent future flooding.

Nathan Benderson Park alone contains $50 million in public assets.

The surrounding commercial assets are valued at over $1 billion.

The park floods nearly every time a storm passes through the area.

Cattlemen Road and the parking lot around The Green are often under water, too.

In August 2022, Sarasota County began a $517,803 effort to stabilize the lake’s shoreline because of damage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The following month, damage that Hurricane Ian caused raised the cost to $1.6 million. Additionally, the wave attenuator (that reduces the wave action for racing) suffered $1.5 million in damages, while other damage to the course cost $78,000.

In 2023, tropical storms caused more flooding in the area, as did Hurricane Debby in 2024, which was followed by Hurricane Milton, which damaged the wave attenuator again.

Over the past two years, commercial stakeholders in the UTC area have invested more than $10 million in stormwater, drainage and roadway improvements.

While there are others, such as Home Depot and Target, Benderson Development is the majority private stakeholder within the proposed district. As such, Mathes said the company has taken on the work to this point.

UTC is located in both Sarasota and Manatee counties. University Parkway is the dividing line.

While flooding causes more property damage on the southern Sarasota side, Mathes noted that much of that damage is because of a lack of maintenance on the northern Manatee County side because of the direction the water flows.

“Sarasota County has its hands full elsewhere in this county,” he said. “(UTC) is just a tiny, little corner.”

Mathes is confident the flooding issues can be solved, but Benderson Development wants one entity focused on the issue, which a special district would provide.

‘POWERS OF THE DISTRICT’

By Florida statute, “special districts may be used by the private and public sectors, as authorized by state law, to manage, own, operate, construct and finance basic capital infrastructure, facilities and services.”

The language in HB 4091 could change as it moves through the Legislature, but as it’s written, the basic capital infrastructure includes the construction and maintenance of roads, sidewalks, ditches, ponds, pumping systems, irrigation systems and transportation systems.

Under transportation systems, the bill states the district could fund a trolley if the board voted to do so. However, Mathes said UTC already tested a trolley and it didn’t work.

If passed as is, the bill would also give the special district the authority to build a water plant and sewer system. But again, Mathes said there are no plans to do either. The district won’t have that kind of money because it would take too long to accumulate.

So why are unnecessary “powers of the district” included in the bill?

SPECIAL DISTRICTS

Florida statute states that special districts “serve a necessary and useful function by providing services to residents and property.”

Dependent districts are created by counties and municipalities. Independent districts are created by the Legislature.

According to Florida Commerce, there are 2,087 special districts in Florida, of which 88 are located in Manatee County and 12 more span multiple counties, including Manatee.

Since 1990, 519 special districts have been dissolved. Manatee County dissolved three dependent special districts in 2014 — the Manatee County Civic Center Authority, the Manatee County Community Redevelopment Agency and the Manatee County Law Library District.

“The

land secures the debt. It’s like mortgaging your property to get money to do improvements.”

Rep. Bill Conerly

Rep. Bill Conerly, District 72, equated the structure of the bill to the county’s comprehensive plan — a guide for everything you might want to do. Even if it’s not wanted today or in the future, it’s written to provide the “broadest presumption of uses.”

Conerly is sponsoring the bill. HB 4091 was drafted by the Ramba Con sulting Group LLC, a lobbying firm based out of Tallahassee.

While both Conerly and Mana tee County Commissioner George Kruse equated the proposed district to Lakewood Ranch’s stewardship district that funded most of its roads, Commissioner Bob McCann called the proposed UTC district an attack on home rule.

With three Manatee County Com mission seats up for grabs in this year’s elections, McCann said Bend erson Development is likely going to the state to preempt the Commission in case the 2026 election doesn’t go its way.

So far, Commission votes have not gone McCann’s way. He’s been on the losing side of several 4-3 votes, but depending on who wins their elections, that could change by the end of the year.

“Why do they need a special dis trict?” McCann asked. “If they wanted to, the bill could say that the county maintains control of this or that, but they don’t want that. They want to be able to say, ‘You can’t overrule me because this is now my kingdom.’”

Mathes reads the bill’s language as a means to open up opportunities versus handing over absolute power.

If approved, immediate plans for the district include improvements to storm inlets along University Park way and clearing out the ditch sys tem on the south side of University Parkway.

Ditch maintenance on University Parkway within the district would be taken over by the district.

However, in the case of Nathan Benderson Park, an operable valve system to control lake elevations would require permits and an approval from Sarasota County.

“The district has no right to do anything on anyone’s property without their participation and consent,” Mathes said.

With that said, Mathes can’t see why Sarasota County wouldn’t agree to an improvement that would protect its asset, especially without having to fund it.

Residents wouldn’t be fund -

ing the improvements, either. The assessment would only be imposed on commercial property owners. Under the bill’s current language, the assessment would be capped at 3 mills ($3 on every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value).

According to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser records, The Mall at University Town Center has an assessed value of $192,743,500. The cap amount of 3 mills would amount to $578,230, but the district could choose to set the millage lower. Benderson will be taxing itself. But McCann argued that the assessment will be passed onto the tenants leas-

ing from Benderson.

Conerly said Benderson is not likely to lose tenants and erode its business by passing the assessment on dollar for dollar. He also noted that Benderson is the stakeholder with the most to lose if UTC becomes an independent district. Part of the district’s authority is the ability to borrow money through bonds.

“The land secures the debt,” Conerly said. “It’s like mortgaging your property to get money to do improvements.”

No hot dogs for Heritage Harbour

Portillo’s is no longer planning to open a restaurant in The Marketplace at Heritage Harbour.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

red Booth remembered eating at the first Portillo’s hot dog stand. It was a 6-by-12-foot trailer fashioned to look like a dog house.

Booth is from Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The “Dog House,” as it was called prior to taking on owner Dick Portillo’s name, was opened in 1963 in Villa Park, another Chicago suburb.

Now, the chain has 100 locations across 10 states, one of which is 48 miles away from Booth’s home in Rosedale.

“I hate driving up to Brandon for a hot dog,” he said.

Or he could drive 39 miles to the Portillo’s in St. Petersburg.

But Booth will have to keep taking a long drive if he wants a Portillo’s hot dog. Booth and several other former Chicagoans have been waiting for a Portillo’s to open off State Road 64 in The Marketplace at Heritage Harbour.

However, Manatee County records show the permit was voided Dec. 28 due to six months of no activity. Under Florida Building Code 105.3.2, the building permit reached its time limitation.

The code requires a business to reapply for a new permit once time runs out. But Portillo’s and The Marketplace mutually terminated the lease at 7267 State Road 64.

While Portillo’s did not respond to the East County Observer’s requests for more information, the company’s Quarter 3 earnings conference call held Nov. 4 shed light on the decision. Interim CEO Michael Miles Jr. updated investors on Portillo’s “strategic reset” to slow development in 2025 and 2026.

THE MARKETPLACE AT HERITAGE HARBOUR

While the lot that was meant to become the next Portillo’s is sitting empty, major construction is underway around The Marketplace.

According to the Edgewood Properties’ leasing plan and Manatee County records, there are plenty of other dining options on the way to the shopping center, including Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza, Qdoba Mexican Eats and Cava, a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant. Upcoming dessert options include Stone Cold Creamery and Nothing Bundt Cakes.

Joe Morris, executive vice president of Edgewood Properties, said The Marketplace should be built out by this time next year. Construction began on the shopping center in 2018 with Costco opening in August 2019.

“We added too many locations too quickly and too close together over the past 24 months,” Miles said. “As a result, we have slowed development to the extent we can, limiting openings in 2025 and 2026 to sites with already signed leases.”

County still hasn’t received DOGE results

In the meantime, the Government Efficiency Liaison Committee continues to seek out wasteful spending.

t’s

$112.4 million in Fiscal Year 2025.

However, the line-item audit that was promised by the state has not yet been delivered to Manatee County.

“We have the end of the math equation, but we have no idea what was included,” said Stephanie Garrison, director of Government Relations for the county. “If we knew what (the state) was starting with, we could probably work backward.”

Garrison said it’s unclear if constitutional officers (outside the Board

of County Commissioners budget), such as the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, were included in the state’s initial audit.

‘WASTEFUL SPENDING’ BY THE NUMBERS

Manatee

is

the

million

what the state is doing,” board member John Settineri said.

In the meantime, members of the liaison committee are poring over purchase card transactions, procurement contracts and interlocal agreements.

Because the committee is focused on finding wasteful spending, it requested staff from the Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office attend the January meeting.

The county’s inspector general works under the clerk’s office and is responsible for taking complaints and investigating waste, fraud, abuse and misconduct.

finance for the clerk’s office, noted that in addition to the audits performed internally by the clerk’s office, there is also an external audit performed each year.

He said that over the past 20 years, the external auditors have not identified any cases of broad waste or abuse. However, he did put one item on the committee’s “radar” — arbitrage expenses, which are paid to the Internal Revenue Service when a government or nonprofit profits from the interest on a municipal bond.

“We got hit with a pretty substantial arbitrage penalty recently — over $500,000 of which should not have happened,” Unruh said. “That’s all related to timing and how you can spend your bond money, so those are the things that we consider as unnecessary to have occurred. If you don’t spend your bond money fast enough, you’re going to get hit with arbitrage penalties.”

Manatee County wrote a check for $525,505 to the IRS in April 2025 for a yield reduction payment (the amount of excess earnings over what is allowable) plus interest. An interest payment of $13,584 was included because the payment was overdue.

The money was bonded in 2019 — $48.59 million for transportation projects and $8.66 million for energy efficient projects.

Commissioner George Kruse said the check was not paid using taxpayer dollars, and the bonds were not spent in a timely manner because of COVID lockdowns that stopped all work a year after the bonds were issued.

The bonds were “parked” in an investment account in the interim, and the account earned too much interest in a three-year period. Because municipal bonds offer lower rates, there are limits to how much interest they can earn. Anything over the allowable amount has to be paid back.

The East County Observer also reached out to the CFO’s office, but did not receive a response.

The liaison committee has a year to make its recommendations. The year will end July 29. “We can’t do our job until we see

Garrison was speaking to the Manatee County Government Efficiency Liaison Committee at its monthly meeting Jan. 20, during which the committee requested a follow-up letter be sent to Ingoglia’s office to request the report.

Inspector General Lori Stephens said her office has conducted several purchase card audits. It’s an area that her office “stays on top of” by looking for certain markers, such as split purchases. County purchase cards have $5,000 limits, so the auditors will check to see if large purchases have been split between different employee cards or spread out among different days.

Neil Unruh, senior director of

Jan Brewer, deputy director of finance for the clerk’s office, anticipates another arbitrage payment is yet to come.

“It’s very hard, with as much debt as the county has issued and is sitting on, to move it and get it spent the way it should be,” Brewer said.

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Ground broken for new Lakewood Ranch high school

AAA High School, located at Rangeland Parkway and Post Boulevard in Lakewood Ranch, is set to open to ninth and 10th graders in August 2027.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

School District of Manatee County Board Member Cindy Spray said the Jan. 21 groundbreaking for the new AAA High School in Lakewood Ranch was a testament to the board’s “unwavering commitment to the families of Manatee County.”

The 85-acre site is located adjacent to the Premier Sports Campus and will serve Lakewood Ranch and beyond.

“Every decision we make is rooted in supporting student achievement, strengthening opportunities and preparing our young people for a bright future,” Spray said.

AAA High School, which has yet to be named by the district, was approved on Aug. 26 and is scheduled to open to grades nine and 10 in August 2027. It will host up to 1,070 students and will provide those students with athletics and arts facilities. The budget for building the new school is $144 million.

The building itself follows the same model as Parrish Community High School, which was designed by Schenkel Schultz and built by Gilbane Building Co. The school opened in 2019.

“Your presence reflects the shared commitment that has brought this project to life,” Superintendent Laurie Breslin said to those assembled during the ceremony. “A groundbreaking like this is the perfect example of the power of collaboration. It shows what we accomplish when local government, district leadership, educators, industry partners and residents come togeth-

er with one goal — creating exceptional learning opportunities for our students.”

Richard Tatem, the school board’s vice chair and District 5 representa-

The School District of Manatee County’s Richard Tatem, vice chair of the school board, and Laurie Breslin, superintendent, listen during the Jan. 21 groundbreaking ceremony for the AAA High School in Lakewood Ranch.

tive, said the new school was needed to serve Lakewood Ranch and he is glad the district responded.

David Wildes is the project director for the School District of Mana-

tee County. He wants to ensure the school is of good quality.

“The big picture is that we’re building something that’s going to serve the community for generations and it needs to be built to last,” Wildes said.

Lorraine Lakes’ Amanda Roe said she is zoned for the new high school once it opens. She has four children — seventh grader Rylie, who attends R. Dan Nolan Middle School, and fifth grader Lexi, third grader Jace and first grader Skylar, who all attend Lake Manatee K-8.

If the current timeline is accurate, that means Rylie will be a freshman when AAA High School opens.

Roe said she has heard about people being concerned with traffic as it is located across from Premier, but she is not worried.

“We have a daughter (Lexi) who plays soccer right there (at Premier) and we live right there,” Roe said.

“It’s a great spot for (a high school) and a good community feel to have

AAA HIGH SCHOOL FAST FACTS

Approved: Aug. 26, 2025

Scheduled Opening: August 2027

Site: Approximately 85 acres at the southwest corner of Rangeland Parkway and Post Boulevard Capacity: 1,070 students (initial capacity)

Design: The scope of work consists of the design and construction of a new high school facility based on a modified reuse of the design of Parrish Community High School, with the construction of Buildings 6 and 8 excluded for future expansion.

Budget: $144 million

Funding: Capital funds

Architect: Schenkel Shultz Construction Manager: Gilbane Building Co.

everything located there.”

School Board Member Chad Choate said he is excited the board chose a high school that will offer all the amenities for a “classic high school experience,” including sport facilities and an auditorium.

“It goes back to what Chair Spray said, which was the community spoke,” Choate said. “The community was like, ‘Hey, we want all those things for our students.’”

Choate emphasized it is important for the school to have its own athletics field even though it is right across from Premier.

“I have to say, much like Kevin Costner, this is truly a field of dreams — a place where dreams are nurtured, where possibilities take shape and where the futures of our students will be built through the inspiration and guidance of our remarkable educators,” Breslin said.

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Jasmine’s journey

The amputation of her left leg because of an overgrowth syndrome will give East County’s Jasmine Ramirez new opportunities.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

While growing up with what doctors call an “atypical overgrowth syndrome,” East County’s Jasmine Ramirez was trying to do all the things other kids could do.

Despite a left leg that was expanding at an abnormal rate, Jasmine was OK when it came to swimming, or playing, or jumping on a trampoline.

But as hard as she tried, she had limits. Such as a trip to the amusement park.

Her condition was undeniably limiting a year ago when Jasmine took a trip to Busch Gardens in Tampa with her family. Her father, Manuel Ramirez, watched in agony as Jasmine tried to be seated properly on ride.

“Many times, we tried to ride rides where the buckle wouldn’t fit, the safety bars would not close, and she would come down devastated and crying,” her father said. “Normally, they say that I’m stronger (emotionally) than mom, but I don’t think so. When she came down crying, I would cry, too.”

It would only get worse for Jasmine.

In the first week of December, Jasmine was confronted with an ominous decision. Her leg weighed 174 pounds on its own, and her overall health was failing.

Her parents urged her to have her left leg amputated to give her a new life.

“I didn’t want to lose my leg because I was wondering, ‘How would I feel the ground?’” Jasmine said. “I wanted to keep it.”

Her father and mother, Verenice Sanmiguel, felt it was the only choice.

“We had spoken about it,” her father said. “If one day it would be between your life and your leg, we will always choose your life. I said, ‘Well, we’re here. We are at this point, and we’re going to choose your life.’”

Her left leg was amputated during a 16-hour surgery Dec. 11 at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Chris Snyder, who is the Johns Hopkins’ director of the Pediatric Trauma program, Dr. Odion Binitie, an orthopedic oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, and S. Alex Rottgers, a pediatric plastic and craniofacial

KEEP UP WITH JASMINE

For updates on Jasmine, visit the Facebook page called “Jasmine’s Journey.”

If you would like to support Jasmine and her family, their P.O. box is 824 Manatee Ave. West #26, Bradenton. For their Go Fund Me, visit GoFundMe.com/F/Help-Jasmines-Family-StayBy-Her-Side

treatments and surgeries.

“It was getting heavier to the point that I couldn’t walk much, and I had to be in a wheelchair all the time,” she said.

“When I was younger, I felt insecure about my leg because everybody just kept looking and feeling it, and that made me uncomfortable.”

She underwent surgeries that attempted to remove tissue to reduce the size of her leg, and therefore make it more manageable from a functional standpoint.

“Every time we operated on Jasmine, the leg continued to grow,” Rottgers said. “It almost — we can’t prove it — but it almost seems that as a reaction to surgery, the overgrowth became worse.”

After the amputation, Rottgers said they were able to remove the entirety of the left leg, the affected tissue in her hip region, and most of the affected tissue from her abdomen.

“Some of the muscles in the back that had been previously operated on were also involved in this and were overgrown,” Rottgers said. “They were causing expansion, and she was running out of abdominal space. It was displacing her internal organs. She probably has a small amount of tissue that is still impacted by this difference. Going forward, we hope and anticipate that she should have a normal and healthy life.”

Jasmine looks forward to a normal life. She hasn’t been to Braden River Middle School since October due to her health and mobility issues. She has been participating in online work and also has a teacher who comes to her home.

She plans to graduate on time from middle school with her classmates in August.

surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

Rottgers has been treating Jasmine for the past nine years.

“Jasmine exhibited progressive and worsening overgrowth,” Rottgers said. “It’s not what we typically see and expect for these conditions.”

Jasmine, who now is 14, was 2 when her left leg began to grow at an abnormal rate. Over the next 12 years, she spent much of her time in hospitals, going through a variety of

To help Jasmine accept her condition while growing up, her father created a hand-drawn booklet for her called “My Lucky Leg.”

He was inspired when he saw the movie “Finding Nemo” because Nemo had a lucky fin.

“In society as a whole, we see things that don’t seem to be normal in our eyes and we think that it’s entertaining to a degree,” Manuel said. “We stare and make fun of what we think is not normal, when in reality, we’re not normal ourselves.”

Now that Jasmine is more mobile, she is looking forward to what her future has in store. That includes her cherry blossom-themed “Sweet 15” event or quinceañera. She also is looking forward to theme parks.

Manuel made a promise to Jasmine prior to the amputation. She has a desire to visit Tokyo.

“You want to go to Tokyo,” Manuel said. “If I have to sell my valuables (to make it happen), I will.”

“My dad is hardworking, loving, caring,” Jasmine said. “He sacrifices everything, and I feel bad for that.”

Jasmine’s leg tissue was donated for research purposes to the National Institute of Health and to Johns Hopkins.

Many of her memories growing up were of hospitals. She hopes that with the donation of her leg tissue to science, she can prevent other kids from having the same experience.

“If there was someone like me, a little boy or a little girl who had the same condition as me, they shouldn’t go through that,” Jasmine said. “My whole life has been about my leg. I don’t want them to go through the same thing.”

“If there was someone like me, a little boy or a little girl who had the same condition as me, they shouldn’t go through that. My whole life has been about my leg. I don’t want them to go through the same thing.”

Jasmine Ramirez

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A Lakewood Ranch program

that certainly is necessary

After moving from Minnesota to Lakewood Ranch in 2016, Jim Emanuelson asked his new neighbors about hurricanes.

“I didn’t know anything about hurricanes,” Emanuelson said. “I would hear from them, ‘We don’t live on the coast. We don’t have to worry.’”

That didn’t sound quite right.

“During Irma (in 2017), we came to the realization 48 hours before the hurricane that it wasn’t true,” Emanuelson said. “We weren’t ready.”

In 2020, Emanuelson became president of the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team.

He wanted to make sure his community was prepared long before a major hurricane hit the area, and that a neighbors-helpingneighbors philosophy became the standard after a hurricane passed through the neighborhood.

Part of being prepared meant Emanuelson had to upgrade his own home to withstand the winds associated with major storms.

“I lived in a home that was built in 1998, and not up to hurricane standards,” he said. “I sleep well now when the storms come through.”

CERT has been helping Lakewood Ranch residents sleep well through hurricanes for the past 20 years.

On Feb. 7, CERT is hosting a special anniversary gathering (from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at the Adventure Park in Greenbrook not only to celebrate past achievements, but to thank local first responders, and to raise awareness of its mission.

It is a mission that can fall through the cracks when all is calm, such as it was during a hurricane-

less 2025. But that’s the challenge that faces CERT, keeping its members, and the public, interested during quiet times.

The 20th anniversary event will feature CERT demonstrations that will include first aid, CPT, and hurricane and disaster prep.

The Sheriff’s Office, East Manatee Fire Rescue, Manatee County Search and Rescue, and other first responders will be on hand to show their vehicles and discuss disaster prep and safety.

The free event also will include food trucks, activities for the kids, and music.

John McInally, a responder liaison for CERT, said people certainly keep interested and motivated following hurricanes, such as the ones 2024 brought to the area. But keeping even the CERT members interested and engaged during extended quiet times is a challenge.

In his 40 years as a CERT member (most of those while living in California and then Maine), McInally said he never has seen a CERT group as large as Lakewood Ranch’s 256 members (in 20 neighborhoods).

Plus, the Lakewood Ranch area has 12 other CERT groups that work together as a coalition.

While it can take years to see some of the CERT training pay off in the field, McInally has seen life-changing moments up close. He talked about his CERT team responding to a remote area of Maine during a snowstorm and delivering a baby.

“And in California, we carried (automated external defibrillators) and those saved numerous lives.”

He noted that, depending on where you live, CERT teams face

Sarasota Memorial Presents

different issues.

“In Maine, you have fires and floods,” he said. “It can vary by the county in Florida.”

Jim Curran, who is in charge of community outreach for CERT, wants the public to know that anyone who joins the group and learns first aid skills can become an important asset for a neighborhood, even for minor issues.

“You can use the skills in nonemergency situations,” he said. “Perhaps you can help a neighbor. This isn’t always exciting, but if that day comes, I don’t want to be unprepared.”

Although CERT does have 256 members, Curran is hoping more Lakewood Ranch residents join.

“We have 20 teams spread around the neighborhoods, but we do have attrition,” he said. “So we stay as visible as we possibly can.”

Visibility is an important issue, especially for those who have no idea they have a CERT member living down the street. Curran notes that CERT has 14 AEDs placed around the community. Does your neighborhood have one of those? You can go the CERT website (LWRCERT.org) and ask.

Curren also stressed that during quiet times, Lakewood Ranch CERT concentrates on training that keeps up with the times.

He said his group strives to keep up with the latest technology and the latest changes in “medical thinking.” For example, he said doctors have changed best practices for placing a tourniquet.

“It used to be placed just above the wound,” he said. “Now that has changed. You place it higher.

“You need to keep reeducating.”

Lakewood Ranch CERT breaks its training into Blue Sky Training and Gray Sky Training. Blue Sky Training is concerned with preparation while Gray Sky covers tasks after activation.

McInally said that during a coalition meeting of all the area CERT programs, it was discovered that several communities had no continuing education program. He said Lakewood Ranch CERT makes its training available to other programs.

He said Lakewood Ranch CERT is fortunate because it is funded by Lakewood Ranch HOAs by charter. Other programs have to fundraise and are dependent on social events.

Even Lakewood Ranch CERT, which has an annual budget of about $30,000, needs to raise some funds.

“Medical supplies are expensive,” McInally said. “And radios age out.” New technology can be costly.

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Lakewood Ranch CERT’s Jim Curran, John McInally, Andy Mattheus and Jim Emanuelson are getting ready to celebrate the organization’s 20th anniversary Feb. 7 at the Adventure Park.

Team manager. CERT will incorporate drone use into its program starting in 2026.

Mattheus, a 20-year U.S. Navy veteran, already has flown a drone over the Braden River to look for potential blockages that could cause floods. Drones will be value post-hurricane if help is needed. It is a different look than when Lakewood Ranch CERT started in 2006.

“Lakewood Ranch has grown a lot in 20 years,” Emanuelson said. “When we were founded, we were the only CERT team on this side of Interstate 75.”

While CERT isn’t a household term, even now in Lakewood Ranch, Emanuelson said the word is spreading.

“Now I have people ask me, ‘Can you guys check on me after the storm? I live alone.’”

Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.

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Baking hobby makes a lot of bread

Baking racks and equipment have taken over the Adam and Yahaira Shimer household over the past year.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Adam and Yahaira Shimer’s living room in Heritage Harbour isn’t filled with the traditional couch and coffee table.

Instead, it has multiple bakery racks, three refrigerators and two commercial ovens.

Adam Shimer is the executive chef at the Ringling College of Art and Design.

He’s a chef by trade, not a baker. But after a trip to Fort Lauderdale for a food show, he was inspired to make his own sourdough.

The experiment with sourdough not only turned him into a baker, but his wife, too.

The couple own Crust N’ Crumb. What started with Adam Shimer posting a picture of a homemade sourdough loaf on the Nextdoor app turned into a full-fledged business in under a year. When a commenter asked if he sold the loaves, Shimer said, “Sure.” His first order was for 10

loaves last January, and the orders haven’t stopped coming in since.

At the start, Shimer was making the bread for himself, so he was using his home oven and a KitchenAid stand mixer.

Yahaira Shimer had been a stayat-home mom to 4-year-old Malcolm and 5-year-old Maynard,

CRUST N’ CRUMB

Crust N’ Crumb is a cottage baker, so Adam and Yahaira Shimer do not own a brick and mortar location, and they have no plans to open one. The only plan is to buy a bigger house with a motherin-law suite so they can put the kitchen equipment in there and enjoy having a living room again. Currently, the couch that was in their living room is in their bedroom.

However, there are two easy ways to buy their products. They have a stand at the Bradenton Public Market every Saturday. The market is located in downtown Bradenton on Old Main Street from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

But if you live in East County, you can pre-order and meet the Shimers at the Publix on the corner of State Road 70 and Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. They offer a weekly dropoff on Fridays. Call (847) 651-5989 or email Crustn.Crumb.FL@ gmail.com to pre-order. Crust N’ Crumb can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor.

but toward the end of last year, the youngest had to be enrolled in day care.

Between October and December, the couple baked and sold about 5,000 loaves of bread, 1,200 bagels, 1,200 scones and 800 muffins.

While the bakery’s products come in an array of flavors, they’re all made from the same base of a three-ingredient sourdough — flour, water and salt.

But everything stems from a “starter” made of just flour and water. As the starter sits, it soaks up wild yeast from the environment. So a sourdough made in California will be different from a sourdough made in Florida because the airborne yeasts are different.

A starter is a self-perpetuating culture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, and it can last for years as

long as it is cared for properly.

When the Shimers talk about their starter, it’s as if they’re talking about another child.

Yahaira Shimer feeds the starter regularly throughout the day, and the starter goes on vacation with them.

“The older it gets, the more mature it gets,” Adam Shimer said. “If this thing dies, we’re done.”

The Shimers have kept their starter alive since the 2024 hurricane season when making sourdough for them was nothing more than a boredom buster.

Since then, the starter has traveled with them to a wedding in Chicago. It’s also been to Orlando, Las Vegas and North Carolina.

Adam Shimer imagined he would own a food truck one day, but never a bakery.

When he was about 18 years old, he started his career baking. He hated the early morning hours so much that he switched to cooking.

Now, the couple wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to boil bagels and get out the door by 6:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings. Crust N’ Crumb is a regular vendor at the Bradenton Public Market from October through May.

The stand sells out every week, so regular customers know to preorder and have their sourdough set aside. The Shimers do a weekly Lakewood Ranch drop-off as well.

Crust N’ Crumb gained a strong following in just one year. All their business comes from either the market or word of mouth.

Adam Shimer credited his long fermentation process for the sourdough’s popularity. He said people often think that sourdough is a flavor, but it’s actually a process.

So even if the label at a store says sourdough, it’s not necessarily sourdough because additives, such as vinegar, can mimic the tangy taste of sourdough that’s naturally derived from fermentation.

Beyond the starter being fed, the dough is “put to sleep.” Once the dough rises and has been shaped, it goes into the refrigerator for at least 36 hours before being baked.

“(Longer fermentation) is what makes my bread different from anyone else in the area,” he said.

Relax ... there’s a new Sirius Day Spa

Spa owner Karen Medford says it has been a dream for her to own a spa at Waterside Place.

JAY HEATER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At times, Karen Medford wondered if her opportunity to own a spa in Waterside Place had passed.

It was eight years ago she opened Sirius Day Spa, Salon and Med Spa at the Green in Lakewood Ranch. She followed by opening another Sirius Day Spa at University Town Center. When the opportunity arose to own another spa in Waterside, she had to refuse because it was so near her UTC spa.

Then the years began to pass, and as she said, “Life happens.”

She was divorced in 2025, and that carried economic ramifications. She no longer had the UTC spa, and was pouring all her effort into the spa at the Green at 11585 State Road 70.

“Then I got a phone call from (Schroeder-Manatee Ranch),” she said. “It was divine intervention. I had another opportunity.”

Waterside’s La Chic Bohème spa, which opened in 2024, closed. SMR was looking for another spa owner to occupy that space at 1551 Lakefront Drive, Suite 101.

“It was never a question for me,” Medford said. “It always had been my dream area to be a part of. I am going on my eighth year (in Lakewood Ranch), and this seemed to be a natural progression.”

She said it was meant to be. After her divorce, she didn’t change the name of her website, which is SiriusDaySpas.com. Plural.

“I knew this was going to happen,”

NEW SPA IN WATERSIDE

What: Opening of Sirius Day Spa, Salon and Med Spa II Where: 1551 Lakefront Drive, Suite 101, Waterside, Lakewood Ranch

Phone: 357-4611

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

Owner: Karen Medford

Specialties: Included are day spa, med spa, hair salon, massage, nail salon, permanent make up, more Website: SiriusDaySpas.com/ Sirius-Salon/

she said while sitting in her new Waterside location that is currently going through a soft opening.

While running the Lakewood Ranch location, she also has two daughters, 13-year-old Ava and 10-year-old Mya. She said she doesn’t feel any pressure taking a risk of opening where another spa had failed in Waterside.

“I don’t look at it as pressure,” she said. “I look at it as this is how I live.

This makes me happy.

“I love community, and I have found my home, my community, my place.”

Farrah Thomay had worked for Medford for eight years and has been a manager at both the Lakewood Ranch and the UTC spas. She immediately decided to accept the job as manager of the new Waterside spa.

“Karen is very successful, and she utilizes people to their strengths,” Thomay said. “She makes the most of everyone’s career.”

Thomay said the Waterside location has great potential and better yet, a need.

“A lot of people have requested for us to be here,” Thomay said. “We want to provide a good, relaxing experience, and to provide a onestop shop for those in Waterside.”

Medford said her employees at Waterside all are people she has known and trusted. They were waiting for her to expand.

Heather Gentile is a medical esthetician, certified laser specialist, electrologist, and medical assistant at the new spa.

“This job appealed to me because I was introduced to Karen,” Gentile said. “I was in another employment situation that was not ideal. Everything about Sirius was professional and beyond the standards of other spas where I have worked. People are going to appreciate this level of spa.”

Medford said she will continue to contribute to the community in any way she can.

“We are community based, and we are not a place you go one time and forget about it,” she said. “Everyone has a different approach to business. We build a long-term relationship with the community.”

Medford will have one new employee she didn’t expect.

My oldest daughter (Ava) is in ninth grade now, and she has to earn community service credits,” Medford said. “My friend at Big Cat Habitat (Kay Rosaire) told me that she would find a place for my daughter to work.”

When Medford told her daughter the good news, she said she wanted to work at the spa instead.

“You never know if you are doing something right as a mom,” Medford said. “But that means she is paying attention.”

But can Sirius make it where another spa has failed?

“We are affordable,” Medford said. “We are not the Ritz-Carlton, but we are class. We are elegant. We are affordable elegance.”

The Sirius Waterside location, which is now open with partial services, is hosting a Celebration Soirèe March 5, at which time all its services will be open.

SPORTS

“I think anything that involves discipline and hard work ends up paying off.” —

Junior guard scores by staying at LWR Prep

Gavin Henderson scores big both in the classroom and on the basketball court.

It wasn’t basketball that drew Gavin Henderson to Lakewood Ranch Prep.

The opportunity to compete didn’t capture his attention above all else.

When he enrolled as a freshman for the 2023-24 academic year, there was no championship legacy. Standards had not been set. The program hadn’t even laid a foundation.

He came to the charter school — which opened in August 2022 — strictly for academics, and arrived before the boys basketball team’s inaugural season.

Henderson just happens to be a particularly prolific scorer when he does step out of the classroom and onto the hardwood.

Now a junior guard for the Eagles, he’s produced a team-high 27.5 points per game through Jan. 23, topping the average of any player across all seven public high school programs in Manatee County. But the scale of his dominance is even greater.

The 5-foot-11 talent ranks fifth statewide for scoring. He also leads the entire state with 222 made field goals (419 attempts), per MaxPreps. He scored a career-high 54 points against Sarasota Military Academy on Jan. 23. It’s a season that has altered his perception of the future.

“I’m realizing that I might be good enough to play college basketball,” Henderson said. “All my hard work throughout the summer, four hours a day training, it’s finally looking like it might pay off.”

Most of his days are spent working toward the Cambridge/AICE diploma, which, if completed with 100-plus community service hours, will qualify him for a Bright Futures scholarship. That would cover 100% of tuition costs at any public university in Florida.

Guided by that pursuit, Henderson has stayed at Lakewood Ranch Prep instead of seek ing competitive oppor tunities elsewhere. He’s uninterested in transfer ring to a public school with a bigger talent pool or a private school with a foothold in recruiting.

The junior is intent on remaining with the Eagles to see his journey through.

Basketball has always been more of a hobby to him than a means of earning a higher education.

“Especially in this NIL world, he can trans fer. He could be one of the best players on any team in the country,” said coach Mike Ros tampour. “His mindset is not on that. He wants to go to college, play for a high-academic school and be success ful in life.”

For all the times Hen derson has torched defenders this season, he

didn’t spend much time playing basketball during his childhood.

He didn’t grow up around the game.

Organized basketball entered his life as a seventh grader. His father, Chris Henderson, once played at the high school level and has proudly donned the blue and white as a Kentucky men’s basketball enthusiast. So he advised his son to switch from baseball to basketball.

He started for the Eagles in 202425 — their first full season — and buoyed the offense. He averaged 20.6 points per game as the only player to put up double figures.

Lakewood Ranch Prep finished at 10-15 with its star guard’s 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game leading the way. Embracing the role of a high-volume shooter and scorer, Henderson tried to make a name for himself at a program with no established reputation.

Over the summer of 2025, he sweated out hour after hour in the gym on a daily basis to develop his game. Not only did he focus on his 3-point shooting, but he sought to improve his vision as a passer — to facilitate more for his teammates.

His own production is on a whole new level.

In 2025-26, Henderson has reached the 30-point plateau on seven separate occasions, as of Jan. 23, and he has scored 20 or more in 17 of his 21 games played.

Only a select few in Florida at his age have posted bigger numbers on the scoreboard. Among juniors alone, he ranks third for scoring.

“Gavin would be successful and be a superstar with any team, with any coach,” Rostampour said. “But with any great player, you need to poke them, and you need players to accept that poking.” Being open to

AN EARLY IMPRESSION

Mike Rostampour knew little about Gavin Henderson before he stepped into the role of Lakewood Ranch Prep boys basketball coach. But while coaching Florida One Time Legends on the AAU circuit, he soon learned that people knew the name.

His players said Henderson — who plays AAU for Manatee P.A.L. Thunder — was a pure shooter. Some parents said he shot the ball too much.

Rostampour wanted to meet Henderson himself and watch him work before putting the junior’s game under a microscope.

Now, he sees a guard who’s eager to get baskets by any means necessary.

“He’s shooting his shots,” Rostampour said. “You cannot stop that type of guy.”

new leadership was a necessary precursor to a statistically sizzling season. Rostampour is in his first year at the helm, and has guided the Eagles to a 10-11 record thus far while trying to shape a winning program.

He understands the team isn’t at a high level yet, and lacks the depth other programs possess because of smaller enrollment. But he said his players’ practice habits are at the highest level.

In that vein, he pushes Henderson — hard. He said the veteran guard still needs to be a better free-throw shooter and a better defender if he wants to excel in college basketball. Rostampour, though, has also noticed a valuable intangible. Henderson is what he calls, “selfishly unselfish.”

“He wants to be a guy. He doesn’t want to be called out,” Rostampour said. “Look at the school he goes to, Lakewood Ranch Prep — new school, no fame, no notoriety. He wants to be just one of the guys, but he wants to help build something.”

Henderson’s success has come at a charter school with an enrollment of 448 for the 2025-26 academic year. There are 84 students alongside him in the Class of 2027, which next spring, will be only the second graduating class in school history.

The balance of books and basketball in his life hasn’t tipped toward the latter, even as he stands out statewide for what he can do on the court. Education remains essential.

“If I’m able to get to the college level, my goal is just to play four years and have fun,” Henderson said. “For the love of the game.”

FAST BREAK

Boomer Erick was named director of golf for Miakka Golf Club on Jan. 16, ahead of the club’s opening to full members later this year. Erick is originally from Marco Island, but previously served as head professional at Boston Golf Club in Hingham, Massachusetts, for the past 17 years. His own exploits as a golfer include competing in the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Professional Championship and eight PGA Professional National Championships. Erick is also a 1998 graduate from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and worked as the first assistant golf professional at Calusa Pines Golf Club in Naples from 2006 to 2009.

... The Sarasota Paradise continued their preseason on Jan. 21 with a 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls of MLS in a match held at IMG Academy. Previously, the USL League One club had fallen, 6-0, to the New England Revolution on Jan. 17 to commence the preseason. This time around, defender Declan Watters struck first in the 13th minute, sending a rebound into the net following a free kick from midfielder Sander Roed Sarasota also scored in the 31st and 69th minutes and stood tall defensively to hold off New York.

... The FHSAA regular season for baseball begins Feb. 9, but preseason classic tournaments can be held Feb. 2-7. Braden River High and Lakewood Ranch High finished last season at 19-12 and 6-18, respectively, with the Pirates reaching the Class 5A regional finals. Both squads play their first preseason games Feb. 3 and go head to head at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 for their shared regular-season opener at Lakewood Ranch High. The Out-of-Door Academy, meanwhile, enters 2026 following a 15-11 finish and 2A regional quarterfinal berth. Its first game is set for 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 at Booker High.

It begins with belief

Their sights used to be set on smaller goals.

District titles were enough for the Braden River High girls weightlifters. A team gold had never been won at regionals until 2024. Sending one or two athletes to the state meet was a major achievement.

But with each passing season this decade, expectations have gradually been raised. Crowns at the county, district and regional levels? The Pirates have been there, done that. They just wanted to participate as a team at the state championships in 2025. This time around, participation alone won’t be satisfactory.

“This group of kids is a reflection of what a state championship team looks like,” said Pirates coach Jordan Borges. “I know what their expectation is, and it’s my expectation, too. So it’s win or go home.”

Braden River has built a powerhouse in the sport — lifter by lifter, weight by weight.

A stellar track record has come from it. Entering the 2025-26 season, the team was the county and district champion three years running, as well as back-to-back regional champion.

The winning ways have only continued, beginning with the Pirates’ fourth consecutive undefeated dual meet regular season. They also secured yet another county title on Jan. 10, and two weeks later, made it four in a row at the FHSAA Class 2A-District 12 championship.

The pursuit of the first team state title in program history feels real. But that goal would not have been realistic some years ago.

Girls weightlifting at Braden River once lacked a winning culture. Postseason results as a team were rarely impressive, despite talented athletes in the weight room.

Borges tried to set a stronger foundation even before his head coaching days, when he served as an assistant under former coach Rich Lansky. Jumping into the driver’s seat for 2022-23 allowed him and his staff to reshape the program.

“When I first came in, the way that the school viewed and the girls viewed the sport of weightlifting was ‘We’re just going to participate,’” Borges said. “What we ended up changing was their self-esteem and the way that they view themselves and their self-confidence.”

Any successful team stems from successful individuals. Success itself starts with belief.

So the Pirates focused on building each other up, one by one. Borges believed in them and they believed in him.

Weightlifting is, after all, individual at its core — even for athletes on a high school team. The greatest opponent is the bar, which requires a battle against the body.

“The confidence is 20 times better than what (it was in the past),” said senior Payton Mangay-Ayam.

“We’ve grown so much, not even

just strength-wise, but mentally.”

Braden River placed fourth at the county championships in 2022. In Borges’ first year at the helm, the turnaround was staggering. The team assembled an undefeated dual regular season en route to county and district titles.

As belief and confidence spread like wildfire, certain athletes ascended to the spotlight.

Jada Phillips was a true trailblazer. Her prolific career ended with second place in Olympic style for the 139-pound weight class at the state meet in 2024 — tied for the highest in school history.

She’s now a sophomore catcher/ utility player for LSU softball, but before her graduation, passed the torch to Mangay-Ayam.

The now-senior has lit a new fire with it, trying to become the program’s most decorated lifter. She will become Braden River’s first individual girls state champion if she takes home gold in Olympic or

Traditional style for the 129-pound weight class at the state meet on Feb. 12.

“It’s the house Jada Phillips built, but now Payton has renovated the entire house,” Borges said. The Pirates are so synonymous with success that they’ve pulled athletes away from other sports who just want to be part of a winning team.

Senior Taylor Ford is one of them. She quit gymnastics as a freshman and joined at the advice of MangayAyam, who left the same sport for weightlifting. Culture proved attractive to both of them.

Braden River can recruit — and crucially, retain — talent. Keeping the right people in the weight room is why this team is poised to reach unprecedented heights at the statewide level.

“Everybody is very driven, especially this year and last year. Everybody’s dedicated to it and they’re ready to win,” Ford said. “We push

ourselves to our max. That’s what we do.”

An era of dominance has arrived under Borges’ leadership. Reshaping the program with confidence and belief continues to make a winning difference. He will never accept credit for any team titles or individual medals along the way.

“Like a great mentor says to me, we write checks that these kids have to cash. They go out there and they perform,” Borges said. “I haven’t really built any of it.”

Gavin Moore

Gavin Moore has been a steady presence for a team that’s on pace to be the best in program history. The senior goalkeeper for Lakewood Ranch boys soccer has played in 15 of 17 games this season, as of Jan. 22, entering the FHSAA Class 6ADistrict 11 tournament. In that time, he registered 115 saves against nine goals allowed — good for a .927 save percentage — on a Mustangs squad which finished the regular season at 15-0-2. Moore is the East County Athlete of the Week.

What is it like to be part of the first team in program history to complete an undefeated regular season?

It’s been an amazing experience getting to play with other incredible teammates and develop myself through them and help accomplish great things with them.

How are you guys feeling entering the district tournament and eventually regionals?

We’re pretty excited. We think we can have a good run in the playoffs, so we just need to continue being disciplined and playing how we have been all season. We can go far.

When and why did you start playing soccer?

I started playing when I was 3, and I’ve been a goalie for eight years now.

How did you gravitate to goalkeeper as your primary position?

Playing when I was little, for what ever reason, I enjoyed playing back — right in front of the goal. So when I started playing competitively, it was part way through my first season when the goalie on our team got hurt and I volunteered. I’ve been playing goalie ever since.

Is there a quote or piece of advice that you’ve always carried with you? Dreams don’t work

If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to JNelson@YourObserver.com.

unless you do. I think anything that involves discipline and hard work ends up paying off. That’s what a lot of soccer has been for me — a lot of hard work, several years, good seasons, bad seasons and persevering through all that.

What highlight or special moment from your career have you never forgotten?

I’m hoping that can be done this year, making it to states.

How are you a better goalkeeper now than where you were at this point last season?

A lot of it comes down to my teammates and coaches who have helped me develop. My teammates and coaches have helped me push my limits and become a better player.

If you could meet any professional athlete, who would you meet and why?

David Goggins, just because of his mindset.

Finish this sentence. Gavin Moore

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Big wheels in Myakka

A field of 111 competitors came to Myakka in an event expected to grow in prestige.

Besides drawing 111 entries in the Combined Driving at TerraNova event on Jan. 23-25, the TerraNova Equestrian Center also attracted a celebrity driver.

Chester Weber, the Four-in-Hand combined driving world champion, came to Myakka and won his division of the competition.

Last year, Lakewood Ranch’s Misdee Miller won that division, but she decided not to defend her title in 2026 and has decided to retire from competitive driving.

The event drew drivers from the United States (20 states represented), Canada and Australia. Competitors ranged in age from 22 to 83-year-old Robert Koopman of Sarasota.

Koopman was the only local driver in the event.

The event was free to the public, but the TerraNova Equestrian Center also offered a lavish buffet for anyone who wanted the VIP treatment.

Ruby Tevis, the director of marketing at TerraNova, said she expects the event to continue to grow in the future.

— JAY HEATER

POOL BUILDER

Residents

A fine event for art

Lakewood Ranch’s Douglas Grierson appreciates when people showcase their talents, especially when it has to do with art.

According to Grierson, he has no talent in that department.

Grierson was walking on Lakewood Main Street during the Lakewood Ranch Fine Art Festival on Jan. 24 and stopped in his tracks as he watched acrylic painter Thomas Legault in action.

“I’m impressed and speechless,” Grierson said. “How can someone be that brilliant? How can someone have that artistic ability in their head, in their eye coordination? It just speaks to me.”

Bradenton’s Paula Grafton, a former art teacher, saw the Lakewood Ranch Fine Art Festival as an opportunity. Along with 2-year-old son Noah, they learned about different ways art can be expressed as they walked past the booths.

“We do paint, and color or play with Play-Doh every day, so he learns how to appreciate it,” Grafton said. “We go around and we talk about what we see. He likes to sniff everything because he can’t touch it.”

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Dr. Keyur Kurani brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Cattleridge office a wealth of knowledge and experience in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Monica Drummond brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Lakewood Ranch I office a wealth of knowledge and experience in Family Medicine.

Undergraduate: University of South Florida, Sarasota, FL

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Graduate School: Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

Medical School: Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC

Residency: Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Moultrie, GA

University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts, Basseterre, SKN Family Medicine Residency, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Jackson, TN Board

Certification: Board Eligible, American Board Family Medicine, Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (AOBFP)

Hospital Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital; Doctors Hospital

Hospital Affiliations: Lakewood Ranch Medical Center

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Using search and rescue dogs makes perfect scents

When minutes matter, Manatee Search and Rescue members are ready to answer the call, and often, that response includes four paws and a nose leading the way.

Founded in 1999, the all-volunteer group works to find missing people and assist after floods and hurricanes.

The dogs are trained to sniff belongings of a missing person, such as a pillowcase or clothing, and then track them down.

The Manatee Search and Rescue canines were on display Jan. 24 at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall in an event that was sponsored by the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team.

Jim Curran is the director of community outreach for Lakewood Ranch CERT.

“I don’t think they get the exposure,” Curran said of Manatee Search and Rescue members. “Everybody knows fire; everybody knows police. It’s important to get exposure for these guys.”

Jared Leggett, the chief of Manatee County Search and Rescue, led the presentation. He works and lives with Kaido, an 8-year-old German shepherd.

Leggett said it is important for the public to understand how searches work to prevent an unfortunate situation from occurring. He said the community often plays a role in the outcome through early reporting.

“My favorite part of working with the K-9s and the public is the interaction,” Leggett said. “The dogs naturally grab people’s attention and are great ambassadors for our team.”

Lakewood Ranch’s Marian and Randy Rippy are self-described dog people. Rippy said he appreciated “seeing the genuine bond between the handlers and their dogs.”

“This was wonderful,” Marian Rippy said. “I absolutely loved it. I’m a veterinarian, and I really support this kind of work.”

— MADISON BIERL

Grand Opening CELEBRATION

FROTHER OR ONE OF TWO

Life revolves around the spectacular 30,000-square-foot clubhouse—now under construction and opening this fall. This is where neighbors become friends over resort pools, shared meals at indoor-outdoor dining venues, and rounds on the premier putting course. With a golf simulator, fitness center, cinema, and stunning waterfront homes by the region’s most sought-after builders, this Lakewood Ranch community is Sarasota’s most distinctive address for those who value connection as much as luxury.

READ EVERYWHERE

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, JAN. 29 THROUGH

SUNDAY, FEB. 1

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs from 3-6 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Southern Kick (Friday), Doug Demming Band (Saturday) and St. David (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday shows are $5; the others are free. For information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 30 AND

SATURDAY, JAN. 31

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. On Friday, Dana Lawrence will play rock, blues, reggae and New Orleans for those strolling the streets at Waterside Place. On Saturday, acoustic cover artist Mike Williams will be featured. For more information about the free music series, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SATURDAY, JAN. 31

JAZZ EVENT

Begins at 4 p.m. at Living Lord Lutheran Church, 11107 Palmbrush Trail, Lakewood Ranch. The featured event will be the Orion Trio with Tom Pizzi on piano, Rich MacDonald on drums and Bruce Wallace on bass, along Scotty Wright doing vocals, Daniel Jorden on sax and flute, and Larue Nickelson on guitar. Admission is $15 at the door. Call 7539365 for more information.

BOARDWALK SALE

Runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jiggs Landing Outpost, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. Jiggs Landing is hosting the River Community Boardwalk Sale, which will offer historical Florida and nautical treasures, antiques, taxidermy, collectibles, fishing gear, boats, and boating equipment. For more information about the free event, send an email to FloridaBoatToursInc@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, JAN. 31 AND SUNDAY, FEB. 1

MUSIC AT THE LODGE

Runs 6-9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Linger Lodge, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton.

BEST BET

SUNDAY, FEB. 1

NATURE WALK

Begins at 8 a.m. at James Patton Park. (Meet in the main parking lot.) Aaron Virgin of the Sarasota Audubon Society is leading a birding walk around Lake Patton. Virgin is an experienced birder who will share lots of information about the 40 or more species of birds that are expected to be seen during the walk. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, email Helen King at TheKingsom@gmail.com.

Linger Lodge’s live music schedule includes Brooke Hargrove on Saturday and Tom Sellitti on Sunday.

SUNDAY, FEB. 1

POLO

Doors open at 10 a.m. and the action begins at 1 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Sarasota. Tickets start at $20. For more information or to buy tickets, go to SarasotaPolo.com.

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. For information, visit MyLWR.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 3

MARKET AT THE PARK

Runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The Market at Nathan Benderson Park runs on Tuesdays and features local artists, small businesses and crafters. In addition, there will be a kids zone, food trucks, live music and themed events. Go to NathanBendersonPark.org for more information.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4

RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at 1560 Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place. Join the crowd at Waterside Place enjoying the food trucks and live music or playing in the cornhole league during Ranch Nite Wednesdays. Weekly programming is offered each week in Gateway Park. No outside food or beverage is allowed. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.

YOUR CALENDAR

Lakewood Ranch’s Amanda Rigby, who is well-versed in using artificial intelligence, is grateful to have a place to collaborate and learn more about it through AI Creator’s Collective.

Club has artificial ingredients

AI Creator’s Collective was founded by David Perkowski and Tony Fitzgerald to explore artificial intelligence.

or Lakewood Ranch’s Amanda Rigby, life can get pretty hectic. Between being a business owner and a mom, she takes whatever help she can get from utilizing artificial intelligence.

She said she uses AI for both personal and professional reasons that include recipes, grocery lists, planning trips, creating presentations, and more. She works as a registered dietitian and owns a private practice called HealThy Self Nutrition.

When Rigby first heard about AI Creator’s Collective, she moved her

IF YOU GO

AI Creator’s Collective meets weekly on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m. at 5391 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. N. For more information, email David at SarasotaPerk@gmail.com.

schedule around to make sure she could attend every week.

“I am well versed in AI, but find myself getting that hamster wheel feeling of trying to keep up with it as it is still new and evolving,” Rigby said. “Being able to brainstorm and work alongside those who are wanting to learn, stay up-to-date and share how they are utilizing AI has cracked open so many new parts of my brain.”

AI Creator’s Collective began as a Facebook page created by Lakewood Ranch’s David Perkowski,

who works as a Realtor, in late June.

By Aug. 5, Keith Pandeloglou, the president and CEO of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, reached out to see if Perkowski wanted to create a club around the topic. Tony Fitzgerald encouraged Perkowski, a good friend, to pursue the opportunity.

Perkowski said there is something special about members participating in person rather than by watching a screen.

“That’s what we’re here for — to kind of embolden and empower more in-person connection,” Pandeloglou said.

The first meeting was Aug. 12. They began with monthly meetings and stepped it up to weekly meetings in November. The group averages five to 12 attendees per session. Each meeting members are given an opportunity to pitch ideas for what they want to go over in future meetings.

“It’s great when we have new

USING CHAT GPT

David Perkowski, the founder of AI Creator’s Collective, gave Chat GPT a prompt to create a 30-second or less commercial about the club and how it would be nice to have more people involved. Chat GPT responded with the following: “Absolutely! All right, here we go. If you’re tuning in and wondering what Creative’s Collective is all about, here’s the scoop. It’s basically our dynamic hub for local entrepreneurs, creatives and AI enthusiasts to come together, share ideas and really level up our skills. We’ve been working on everything from using AI to streamline business tests, to just having a blast creating content. Honestly, it’s a fantastic place to meet like-minded folks. We’d love to have more people join us regularly, so come check it out and be part of the fun.”

members and new people show up, because we get into different conversations,” Perkowski said. “All of a sudden, light bulbs start erupting around the room.”

Each meeting is recorded and emails are sent out prior to each meeting utilizing AI on what was covered and what will be covered in the next meeting.

Fitzgerald uses AI with purpose

and asks the chat to “rate on a scale from zero to 10 on how certain you are that this is right.”

“I didn’t ask it to research anything so if I do ask it a deeper question, it will throw up that whole zero to 10, and it’ll tell you why it’s only an eight,” Fitzgerald. “I think this is a good idea, but it’s an eight because you didn’t think about XYZ, so that’s really helped.”

Fitzgerald said AI gets a bad reputation because people tend to have AI do work for them — whether it be for school or work — instead of using it to enhance work they complete themselves. It’s important to fact check what AI gives you, especially if you ask “ambiguous questions” as it will fill in the blanks.

Fitzgerald said it is important to embrace AI for what it is.

“It’s very important to get over your apprehensions, learn how it can enhance everything that you already know, so that you are not behind,” Fitzgerald said. “Eventually there will be businesses that are left in the dust.”

Perkowski said it is important for potential members to realize that there is no cost to attend and they are not trying to sell anything. It is simply a space for people interested in learning and using AI to collaborate.

Rigby said she highly recommends the club.

“As overwhelming and maybe even scary as the idea of AI might feel, it is intertwined in so much of our day to day and will continue to be,” Rigby said. “I’m choosing to stay learning and understanding it.”

Lakewood Ranch’s David Perkowski and Tony Fitzgerald share their knowledge of using artificial intelligence platforms through meetings of the AI Creator’s Collective.

Concession home tops sales at $2,875,000

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in the Concession on Parkstone Terrace topped the week’s sales. Jamie Worden, of Lakewood Ranch, sold his home at 20910 Parkstone Terrace to Denelle Waynick Johnson and Troy Johnson, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2,875,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, four-anda-half baths, a pool and 5,082 square feet of living area. It sold for $4 million in 2022.

MONTEREY

Toll Southeast LP Co. Inc. sold the home at 2453 Waterfront Circle to Stephen and MaryFrances Ciurczak, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,632,600. Built in 2025, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,296 square feet of living area.

Toll Southeast LP Co. Inc. sold the home at 2593 Waterfront Circle to John Grady, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,199,000. Built in 2025, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,494 square feet of living area.

ESPLANADE

David and Karen Gerken sold their home at 4719 Cabreo Court to Jerome and Nancy Skibinski, of Bradenton, for $1.26 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,875 square feet of living area. It sold for $868,000 in 2021.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL GOLF

CLUB

Jerome and Nancy Skibinski, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5637 Arnie Loop to Matthew Cramer and Maria Comonitski, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, for $1,249,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,745 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2020.

SWEETWATER

Wally Sabrii, of Bradenton, sold the home at 17703 Savory Mist Circle to Zabiullah Khan, of Bradenton, for $900,000. Built in 2023, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 3,807 square feet of living area. It sold for $883,500 in 2023.

M/I Homes of Sarasota LLC sold the home at 18088 Cherished Loop to Thomas and Lori Fillippa, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for $424,000. Built in 2025, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,672 square feet of living area.

RIVERWALK RIDGE CYPRESS BANKS

Jack and Geraldine Riggenbach, of Miami, sold their home at 12418 Lobelia Terrace to Matthieu Marfaing and Oceane Laurence Veronique Sorel, of Bradenton, for $857,500. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,977 square feet of living area. It sold for $540,000 in 2020.

PALM WEST

Christopher and Jennifer Simons, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8416 Palm Lakes Court to David and Julie Ann Kane, of Sarasota, for $775,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,341 square feet of living area. It sold for $295,000 in 2015.

PRESERVE AT PANTHER RIDGE

Donald and Dana Lederer, of Mount Dora, sold their home at 22333 Panther Loop to Christopher and Jennifer Simons, of Bradenton, for $775,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,766 square feet of living area. It sold for $730,000 in 2005.

ESPLANADE AT THE HEIGHTS

Marlena Putkowska-Szalast, of Sarasota, sold the home at 6266 Mesa Glen to Silvia Golueke, of Bradenton, for $771,500. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three

baths, a pool and 2,262 square feet of living area. It sold for $476,000 in 2021.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Siesta Key Financial LLC sold the home at 7618 Pine Valley St. to J&G Shaddai Investment LLC for $745,500. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,624 square feet of living area. It sold for $503,000 in 2020.

Opendoor Property Trust I sold the home at 9933 Laurel Valley Ave. Circle to Dean Andrew Power and Kristin Elaine Power, of Bradenton, for $518,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,998 square feet of living area. It sold for $439,000 in 2025.

POLO RUN

Fredrick Layne Naids and Karen Naids, of Sugarland, Texas, sold their home at 17936 Polo Trail to Richard and Jennifer Lopez, of Bradenton, for $700,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,455 square feet of living area. It sold for $438,500 in 2019.

CYPRESS CREEK ESTATES

Daniel Khoury and Lori Khoury, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6181 Ninth Ave. Circle N.E. to Timothy Gallivan, of Bradenton, for $677,000. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,471 square feet of living area. It sold for $344,400 in 2019.

DEL WEBB

George and Nancy Shegog sold their home at 17715 Littleton Place to Mark Kessler and Mindy Newman Kessler, of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, for $660,000. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,919 square feet of living area. It sold for $699,000 in 2024.

OAKRUN

Carol Watson Sparks, trustee, of Worcester, Massachusetts, sold the home at 4729 Oak Run Drive to Joshua Carroll Hackney and Jessica Erin Hackney, of Sarasota, for $625,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,809 square feet of living area. It sold for $250,000 in 2009.

EMERALD LANDING AT WATERSIDE

Weekley Homes LLC sold the home at 7220 Sutton Lane to Lisa Audrey Williams and Paul Carmen Williams, of Sarasota, for $600,000. Built in 2025, it has two bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,276 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CREEK

Bradford and Andrea Drake, of Ponte Vedra, sold their home at 14715 First Ave. to Emma Mary Cansdale and Jared Joseph Roberts, of Bradenton, for $595,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,267 square feet of living area. It sold for $302,500 in 2004.

GREYHAWK LANDING

Bryan and Bianca Mathis sold their home at 12358 Lavender Loop to Jalen Rinehart and Cheryl Henderson, of Bradenton, for $595,000.

PARK EAST AT AZARIO

Ellie Patounas and Jason Boddie, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16226 Paynes Mill Drive to Matthew Mulero, of Bradenton, for $595,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,600 square feet of living area. It sold for $534,400 in 2023.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Francis and Paul Quinn, of Bradenton, sold their home at 14439 Stirling Drive to Michael and Jill Maciag, of Lakewood Ranch, for $590,000. Built in 2013, it has three

bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,148 square feet of living area.

DEL TIERRA

Yi Lu and Yizhi Liu, of Cabin John, Maryland, sold their home at 271 Tierra Verde Way to Andres and Dibelkys Frias, of Orlando, for $520,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,884 square feet of living area. It sold for $388,000 in 2021.

AVANTI Nicholas and Shaylynne Dalupan, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6603 Silverstar Drive to Debra Reiss and Brett Reiss, of Alexandria, Virginia,

STILL TIME FOR A SEASONAL STAY!

Boutique-like community located in a vibrant neighborhood near area beaches, theatres, entertainment, events, fine dining, and shopping.

Easy urban living with availability of furnished apartments, delicious meals, educational programs, housekeeping along with flexible transportation and an optional health & wellness program for the more independent residents.

Real estate

for $508,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,591 square feet of living area. It sold for $465,700 in 2024.

STONEYBROOK AT HERITAGE

HARBOUR

James and Sara Campbell sold their home at 339 Heritage Isles Way to Brittni and Kevin White, of Bradenton, for $499,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,016 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2021.

VERANDA AT LAKEWOOD

NATIONAL

Stephen and Lisa Poitrast sold their Unit 2315 condominium at 5664 Palmer Circle to Evelyn Leonard, of Avon, Connecticut, for $400,000. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,329 square feet of living area. It sold for $478,000 in 2023.

PERIDIA Barbara Ann Vinar, of Faribault, Minnesota, sold her home at 4989 Clubview Court E. to Mary Victoria Johnson and Graham Tyler Johnson, of Bradenton, for $399,000. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,217 square feet of living area. It sold for $596,000 in 2022.

HARMONY

Hudson Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236 AL#8979

SILL offers a dynamic lecture series on global issues and cultural enrichment as well as conversations and performances featuring established & emerging musicians.

Mary Werner, of Florence, Kentucky, sold the home at 9014 Beacon Manor Terrace to Paul and Karen Lawton, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, for $485,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,233 square feet of living area. It sold for $372,800 in 2004.

GREENBROOK

Martin Varga and Lenka Vargova, of Bradenton, sold their home at 12105 Trailhead Drive to Jennifer Amato, of Bradenton, for $390,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,739 square feet of living area. It sold for $377,000 in 2022.

COACH HOMES AT RIVER STRAND

Eugenie Ferrara Sorgen, of Bradenton, sold her Unit 6202 condominium at 6806 Grand Estuary Trail to Tracey and Deborah Scott, of Bradenton, for $383,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $292,000 in 2016.

MUSIC MONDAY GLOBAL ISSUES

Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota

3:00 pm, Venice Presbyterian Church, 825 The Rialto, Venice

TUESDAY, FEB. 3

10:30 am, First United Methodist Church, 104 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota

2:30 pm, Venice Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave, Venice

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4

11:00 am, Cornerstone Church, 14306 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch

Dr. Laura Dawsonr | U.S.-Canada Relations: Friends? Partners? Allies?

Amid turbulence in U.S.–Canada relations, what are the long-term stakes for their economic and security partnership—and does America First mean America alone?

Dr. Laura Dawson will discuss how both countries might realign to build a strong, prosperous North America.

THURSDAY, FEB. 5

10:30 am, First United Methodist Church, 104 S Pineapple Ave, Sarasota

5:00 pm, Cornerstone Church, 14306 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch

FRIDAY, FEB. 6

10:00 am, Venice Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave, Venice

Dr. Jeremi Suri | From the Fall of the Berlin Wall to the War in Ukraine: What Happened to the “End of History”?

Thirty-five years after the Berlin Wall’s fall and a surge of democratic optimism, the world looks very different. How did those democratic promises give way to today’s rising authoritarianism, and what comes next? Dr. Jeremi Suri will trace this history and its future implications.

Sarasota • Lakewood Ranch • Venice Learn with Us: Visit www.sillsarasota.org or scan our QR code

Thomas Joseph Ryan Jr. and Rebekah Ryan, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, sold their home at 6422 Blue Grosbeak Circle to Stephen Anthony Reeves and Shandel Nicole Reeves, of Inola, Oklahoma, for $485,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,572 square feet of living area. It sold for $580,000 in 2022.

INDIGO

Richard Charles Chagnon and Jean Marie Chagnon sold their home at 12810 Seasong Trail to Bruce and Vicki Baggio, of Godfrey, Illinois, for $450,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,832 square feet of living area. It sold for $378,900 in 2021.

Clifford Marvin Ehlers and Ellen Helene Atas, of Kissimmee, sold their home at 3214 Sky Blue Cove to David and Teresa Alberts, trustees, of Bradenton, for $425,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,617 square feet of living area. It sold for $306,800 in 2019.

EAGLE TRACE Ruben and Erlinda Gonzalez, of Bradenton, sold their home at 2150 Crystal Lake Trail to Deborah Skyes, of Bradenton, for $380,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,439 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,00 in 2019.

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH